Changes
by artemisfae
Summary: Red/Lizzie. One-shot...has potential for more, maybe. Lizzie is ready to make some changes and take her and Red's relationship to the next level. Prompt from Lizzington Shippers FB page:)


**A/N-So, I suppose this would be set during S2E1 if I had my way, we would have SS Lizzington setting sail via a kiss. But sadly, TPTB are content with drawing it out with glacial slowness;) I looked at the Lizzington Shippers FB promts and my muse just demanded that I get this down. All mistakes are my own.**

**Disclaimed-I own nothing and make zero profit. I just adore the characters!**

Liz is ready for change. She is so damned tired of being so good all the time. Maybe it's time to go back to the basics. Ressler thinks she is incompetent. Still green and inexperienced. All she has to say is _Oh, yeah? Who is the one that is constantly getting maimed? Ass. Hole. _

Red thinks she is weak. Too weak for the truth. Too weak to be a partner to him in any real sense. He throws the FBI team bones in the form of Blacklister's on a consistent basis, but she wants more. She wants him to acknowledge that she is worthy and strong enough to be by his side, in any way.

She isn't stupid. She sees the way he looks at her. She sees the desire he tries to hide.

What he doesn't know, is that if he were looking in her eyes instead of at her body, is that the desire is mirrored in her gaze. She's done hiding who she is. She vows that from that moment on that she won't be a different person any longer.

Red called her earlier and asked her to meet him at a small Italian restaurant in Alexandria. She still had a few hours, so she would run some errands. _Red will never even know what hit him…_

Two and a half hours later, her hair was about 10 inches shorter and if you ask her, much more suiting of her personality. Her legs and eyebrows freshly waxed and buffed. She loved the refreshing feeling, the shedding of her previous mantle; Tom Keen's wife. Never again would she subject herself to a toxic relationship.

It was time to move on and start her new project. _Red._ That man was as alluring as he was infuriating.

She couldn't stand how things were between them now. She wanted more. She deserved more.

It was a beautiful day, not too hot, not too cool, so she decided to walk the 6 blocks to their decided meeting place. She should get there just in time.

When she arrived, she figured that Red wasn't there yet as she didn't see his Mercedes or Dembe outside. She walked in, and came face to face with Dembe. He was smiling, but in a perplexed way, as if he was confused by her in some way.

"Hey Dembe, how are you today?"

"Just fine, thank you Agent Keen. Raymond is awaiting you in the back. Right this way." He took her by the elbow and let her through the crowded dining area to secluded private party room off towards what was most likely the kitchen.

"Hello Red, what did you need? New name?" He was reading the paper and looked up at her as she spoke. Whatever words he was going to speak, died on his lips as he took in her new hairstyle. His slow grin as he rose to his feet to greet her was encouraging. "Why Lizzie, is it so hard to believe that I'd want to share a meal with the most beautiful woman in the world." As he spoke, he hugged her close to him.

She took in a slow breath. _He smells like home._

They had slowly warmed up to each other. Well, Liz had warmed to Red, as he accommodated her in whatever she needed. He seemed to have a sixth sense for when she needed reassurance. He would squeeze her hand in passing, rub her shoulder in encouragement, or even hug her. She didn't mind. She relished in any physical interaction they shared.

He let go and pulled out her chair for her, giving her shoulders a light caress on his way back to his own seat.

She chuckled. "Who did you kill now? Somebody must be dead for you to be sucking up to me that much. Either that or you have bad news and are attempting to soften the blow."

His head tilted to the side, probably surprised that she was calling him on his bull.

"I am disappointed that you think so little of me. No news and no one is dead. You really are magnificent and I know that you are working entirely too hard lately. It is my duty to see that you are receiving proper nourishment. We can't have you wasting away now, can we?"

Suddenly unsure of her plan and Red's opinion of her, she asked "Is that all I am? Duty? Another responsibility?" With every question her voice dropped until she ended in a whisper.

"I meant no such thing. I was simply pointing out the obvious facts and then verbalizing them in a way that I believed would be more palatable to you."

"I think that you would be surprised what I find palatable these days."

Red was gravely serious as he replied "Lizzie, I don't believe that you are quite ready to hear this."

"Try me. I promise to refrain from leaving the room screaming." Her look was deadpan and she hoped it conveyed that she was tired of the games.

Red lifted his menu, chewing on the side of his cheek, measuring his next words. "You should try the Ziti. It's simple, yet divine. The chef is actually Italian. We met in Vienna. He was trying to escape some gambling debts, and I was looking for a chef. The rest is history. You won't find the second rate over commercialized Olive Garden fare here. Plus, you could use the carbs." He winked at her.

He was trying to distract her by making her angry. Fine. She would lay her cards on the table. He could do with them what he wished.

"Red, I care about you." Nothing. He stared, speechless at her for what seemed hours, but couldn't be more than minutes. Maybe just seconds, she couldn't tell as time seemed to stop.

"I think we need have this conversation somewhere with a little more privacy." His voice sounded as if he'd swallowed glass. She shivered in response.

He stood, reached for his wallet but frowned when he came up empty. "Here, I'll pay." She reached into her back pocket and pulled out his wallet, opened it up and perused the contents. "David Fisher? Hmm. He seems to be the careless sort. We'll let him pay."

Red's head tipped back with his uproarious laughter. "I suppose he should pay since he let a pretty face distract him and rob him blind. Foolish man." He reached over for his wallet, threw a couple of bills on the table, grabbed her hand and practically marched her out the door.

Dembe stood, alert, as soon as they entered the dining area. "Is there a problem, Raymond?"

"No Dembe, Lizzie and I just have some business to attend to."

Her hand tightened on his in excitement. She hoped that he wasn't just looking to let her down easy in private. Now, when confronted with a read opportunity to tell him how she felt, she was doubting the signals that she thought she noticed.

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This wasn't supposed to happen. She wasn't supposed to care for him. She wasn't supposed to get this deep. He knew that his feelings were one-sided. That was fine. He was so much older than her, he never figured that their time together would foster anything but maybe respect. He'd never hoped that she would see him as a man, rather than a monster. He had done so much wrong in her life already.

They were entirely silent during the car ride back to his current hotel. They made their way up to the suite, left Dembe with a terse "Go ahead and relax the rest of the day, I won't be leaving."

He figured he'd tell Lizzie how he felt, scare her away, hope like crazy that she would even want to work with him still, and then spend the rest of the day drinking and forgetting that they had this come to Jesus moment.

"Can I get you a drink?" "Water would be great, thanks. If not, then wine would be ok too."

He walks to get their drinks. Plotting out how he will say what must be said.

She can't let him put up a wall. Something he excels at doing.

"I think we should have sex."

Red drops a glass, shattering it on the marble top of the wet bar.

"Or not, sorry I asked."

"Lizzie. Shut. Up."

He abandoned his quest for drinks.

She thought she could appease his lust for her, and eventually he would want more.

"Lizzie. Why do you think we should have sex?" His voice is slow, as if he is trying to mask the emotion there.

"I know you want me. I want you. Sex is a healthy and natural progression-"

"I am not looking for a quick lay. I no longer seek meaningless physical release, just to 'scratch an itch'."

Lizzie took a deep breath, whispered "It wouldn't be meaningless for me."

"You said you cared about me, but there are many types of caring." He is so serious. His eyes are so intense. She would love to escape the heartbreak that she knows she has coming, but he holds her captive with his gaze.

"I love you. There, are you happy? Once again, I am doing all the talking with you giving nothing of yourself in return-"

He crushed his mouth to hers, silencing her tirade of hurt.

Their lips, tongues, and teeth met fiercely, with more passion than she had ever experienced.

He pulled back, but rested his forehead against hers while holding her close.

"Everything. I'll give you everything. My heart, my life, all the days left of my life. I love you."

Now it was her turn to be speechless. Tears welled in her eyes.

"You love me? I thought you were just stuck with me, because of whatever happened in our past that links us together."

"Never. You may have been an obligation in the beginning. That stopped the moment I met you. I was drawn to your fire like a moth to a flame."

"Red, I love you too. I never thought you would have any serious feelings for me. I thought you just wanted to sleep with me."

Their whispered conversation tapered off, giving way to kisses; small and quick at first, slowly morphing into lingering open-mouthed promises of love and commitment.

Red reluctantly pulled away.

"We need to go slow. You need to be sure that this is what you want, because I am all in. You need to be sure that you feel the same."

"I know what I feel, but I think that we shouldn't just jump into bed, no matter how appealing that sounds right now."

Red groaned. "I need to catch a flight at midnight. Stop trying to take advantage of my body. I'll be back in less than 24 hours. I'll have the next name for you then. Please be safe and watch your back."

Lizzie leaned in for one last kiss, turned and went to the door, grinning widely.

"You be careful, too. Remember that you just offered me the rest of your days. Make sure you keep good on that promise. All I'm doing is going shoe shopping while you are away."

With that parting shot, she walked out of the door, leaving Red disbelieving at the absolute changes they had decided upon this night.

He moved back to the bar to clean up the glass he had shattered earlier when he realized something was off.

He was determined to figure it out, pondering what was off as he reached up to re-button his shirt where Lizzie had undone them to touch his chest, run her hands through the fine hair there. He froze and then chuckled. If he wasn't sure before, he absolutely knew now he was in love with her.

His wallet. She had stolen it again.

Their lives would never be dull, of that he was certain.


End file.
